MPD tops NCR districts in crime solution efficiency

The Manila Police District (MPD) has topped all the five police districts of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) in crime solution efficiency for August, statistics obtained by The STAR showed.

This developed as MPD acting director Senior Superintendent Danilo Abarzosa launched a three-pronged approach to "effectively stem the tide of criminality in the city."

Records showed that for the month of August the MPD recorded 360 non-index crimes with 355 solved, for a 98.61 percent crime solution efficiency. For index crimes, the MPD reported 176 with 159 solved, for a 90.34 percent crime solution efficiency. A total 536 crimes were reported for the month, solving 514 for a 95.90 percent crime solution efficiency.

"The statistics is only for the month of August. We expect a higher crime solution efficiency for September following the launching of the MPD’s three-pronged approach to neutralize crime gangs," Abarzosa told The STAR.

According to Abarzosa, the MPD first identified the crime-prone areas in Manila. Second, he deployed additional plainclothes policemen or "sekretas" to these areas, with instruction to intensify patrol and visibility and to round up all suspicious characters for record verification. Once the areas are cleared of suspected criminals, uniformed cops are maintained for beat patrol in the area to forestall the return of hoodlums.

"The scheme has been proven effective and most of the identified crime prone areas are now safe to travel even at night," Abarzosa said.

As this developed, the MPD’s Theft and Robbery Section under Chief Inspector Dominador Arevalo Jr. netted two notorious holduppers victimizing mostly Chinese traders in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

Rushdie Manalindang, 27, and Jeber Dasimbor, 25, were positively identified by witnesses as the persons who held up Peter Cheng and his wife Tina near the Plaza Fair in Avenida last week. A pocket computer, jewelry and cash were taken by the suspects.

Arevalo said the deployment of plainclothes cops in the area led to the arrest of the suspects.